Karnal Brand Cathy de Villiers Small Grain Institute, Bethlehem
General Background Info. Fungi lack chlorophyll Heterotrophic (extracts nutrients from the host) Inoculum found in/on: Seed Soil Diseased plants
General Background Info. Examples of fungal dispersal: Wind burning of production lands up to 500km Water overhead irrigation, rain Soil clinging to implements Insects spore transmission Animals - dung Equipment planters, harvesters, etc. Man - movement between wheat fields
General Background Info. Conditions necessary for infection: Host (presence and susceptibility of host) Pathogen (appearance, kiemkragtigheid and amount of inoculum) Plant Disease Environment (conditions to favor disease)
There are 5 Tilletia species present in S.A.: T. caries Common bunt - Systemic T. ehrhartae - Annual veldgrass bunt - Contact T. indica Partial bunt - Contact T. laevis Stinking smut - Systemic T. walkeri Ryegrass bunt, KGI lab confirmation - Contact Tilletia species found on maize: T. caries T. controversa Dwarf bunt T. laevis T. indica General Background Info. T. walkeri (?)
Ryegrass bunt (13-26µm) Overlapping with KB 23-26µm Stinking smut (14-22µm) 1µm smaller Annual veldgrass bunt (18-22µm) 1µm smaller Common bunt (15-23µm) 23µm Karnal bunt (23-49µm)
General Background Info. Positive identification based on morphological characteristics is not easy!! Most reliable procedure = morphological + molecular methods End 2015: ARC-SGI uses Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to confirm ID. 3 T. indica-specific 'PCR' sets, namely Tin3/Tin10, Tin3/Tin6 and Tin3/Tin4
Karnal Bunt Fungal disease that infects wheat, durum wheat and triticale. Karnal Brand - first reported in India in 1931 - near the town of Karnal - hence the name Karnal bunt Found in Asia (1931), South America (1960s), North America (1970s) S.A. sighted in 2000 - Douglas area quarantined Worldwide Karnal bunt is seen as a quarantine organism - no research in S.A. allowed
Karnal Bunt Life Cycle Flowering Stage
Karnal Bunt Background Teliospores survive for long periods in the soil (5-7 yrs) Teliospores survive temperatures of -5 C and have a dormancy period of 9 months The whole ear is not infected - usually 4-5 contaminated seeds per ear Difficult to see in the field - unnoticed for years
Environmental Conditions Environmental conditions that are beneficial to the development of Karnal bunt: Optimum temperature: 18-22 C Optimum relative humidityt: 70% At lower RH secondary sporidia will be dormant If weather is not cool and rainy (48h) during flowering stage, infection will be low Wheat is vulnerable from GS43 (ear emergence) to GS69 (soft dough)
Environmental Conditions High sowing rates and application of high levels of nitrogen favours disease (microclimate) Late plantings - possibly coinciding with favourable climatic conditions
Only 1 Karnal bunt infected seed may legion teliospores produce infected soil The infected seeds are usually smaller than healthy ones Infected seeds are being waved in syrup - which serves as a source of inoculum for next season Retention of seed Signs/Symptoms Contaminated seeds that are planted can cause of poor germination, poor plant population and increase the amount of inoculum
Legislation Thresholds differ between countries Mexico has 10 or more teliospores necessary before sample is positive DAFF (South Africa) - no teliospores allowed!
Signs/Symptoms
Control Multiple options: S.A. cultivars tested with SA pathotypes - quarantine disease Chemical Control : Seed treatment has not been tested (quarantine) Fungicides (CropLife): Two fungicide sprays with Carbendazim/propiconazole or propiconazole. 1st spraying 25% spike appearance - 2nd application 10 days later
Beheer Cultural practices: Nitrogen - split nitrogen applications Reduce plant density (less plants per m 2 ) Plant earlier - limit favourable conditions Use crop rotation : Oats - resistant Barley - tolerant Use high pressure spray to clean off equipment
ARC-SGI Trial seed wash plant All SGI trials monitored Untreated seed samples can be tested Biotechnology laboratory - identification of species
Summary Karnal bunt found mainly under irrigation Come every year for non-climatic conditions is important Not toxic to humans and animals, but more than 3% infection is unfit for human and animal consumption (odour, colour and taste) Quarantine organism - no research in S.A. Wheat is susceptible from GS43 (ear emergence) to GS69 (soft dough) Resistance to S.A. cultivars against S.A. pathotypes has not been tested
Summary Can make use of chemicals - not 100% effective at all (2 applications?), But reduces the incidence of the fungus Do not withhold seed for replanting, use certified seed Yield losses may occur - depending on time of infection
Bronne www.croplife.co.za Agricultural remedies database all crops and chemicals - fungicides, insecticides and herbicides http://wheat.pw.usda.gov/ggpages/wheatpests.html - wheat diseases and pests (carry guide) Diseases of small grain cereal crops: A colour handbook Murray et al. 2011
Thank You! Dr Justin Hatting 058 307 3468 Cathy de Villiers 058 307 3452